Venezuela Withdraws Ambassador After Legislative Coup in Brazil

The Venezuelan government decided to withdraw its ambassador after the Brazilian Senate impeached Dilma Rousseff in a trial many social movement activists and political leaders have referred to as a coup d’état.

The Venezuelan and Brazilian flags are featured in this image (Nodal).

Los Angeles, California September 1st 2016 (venezuelanalysis.com) - The Venezuelan government decided to withdraw its ambassador after the Brazilian Senate impeached Dilma Rousseff in a trial many social movement activists and political leaders have referred to as a coup d’état. Venezuela has also effectively frozen all political and diplomatic ties as a result of this week’s action against Rousseff and Brazilian democracy.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official statement reads, “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela condemns categorically the parliamentary coup accomplished in Brazil against President Dilma Rousseff, through which [the parliament] has dangerously and illegitimately substituted the popular will of 54 million Brazilians, violating the Constitution and altering democracy in our sister country.”

The statement also denounced the country’s political and business oligarchy for its role in consolidating the coup against Rousseff. “This parliamentary coup represents an oligarchical and imperial assault against popular, progressive, nationalist and left processes, whose only end is to restore neoliberal models of social exclusion, exploitation of our natural resources which bring with them poverty and backwardness for our peoples.”

The statement further names the democratic processes that have been largely celebrated across the region in the last two decades from Bolivia’s Evo Morales to Argentina’s Néstor Kirchner among several others.

Rousseff was first suspended as president three months ago for borrowing funds from a public bank to cover the expenses of social programs in the country's federal budget. 15 of the 65 members of the impeachment commission themselves face corruption charges. Additionally, more than 60% of the Brazilian senate also faces similar charges.

The final vote, after several days of trial in the Senate, was in favor of her impeachment 61 to 20 on Wednesday.

The Venezuelan government also expressed its solidarity with, “President Dilma Rousseff, and with millions of women and men that through a direct and anonymous vote chose their President. An historical betrayal has occurred against the Brazilian people.”

The Bolivian government has also taken similar steps. Brazil will likewise mirror these actions and withdraw its diplomatic liaison in both nations. The Ecuadorean government likewise condemned the coup stating, "Given these exceptional facts, the government of Ecuador has decided to call for consultations the charge d'affaires to the Republic of Brazil."

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